Scorching Guilt of the Letter
by Matrineal
Summary: He could feel the same guilt as she, he committed the same crime as she. Only... her punishment was made public... The invisible brand would never fade from the soul even though it's on a letter... ONE SHOT! RufusxElena


**A/N: This is a Rufus/Elena fanfic that takes place somewhere during the 1600's. They actually used the Scarlet Letter to identify criminals. So if you cheated on your husband you were considered a criminal and had to stand in a public market for some number of hours in humiliation. They weren't very nice back then... Actually the people were pretty barbaric... OK, also, this fan fic is dedicated to goodwitch08 for her challenge on her profile. Happy Early Birthday, Evette! I don't know whether I got all the Old English dialogue correct, but I can't say I didn't try. I was looking in the diccionary for almost every word... Man, that is some confusing English! XD Please Review and tell me how you liked it :)**

Disclaimer: I do not own FF VII nor any of the characters so ñya!

Scorching Guilt of the Letter

It was there, Elena was constantly reminded day after day of the scarlet letter that was bestowed upon her breast. Subconsciously, she traced the branded cloth of her dress, as if it were branded into her very skin, like a scar. She constantly swallowed hard as she did so, the needle work of her own was done in a fine fashion, to give it a less grim appearance should the letter forever remain upon her breast as a symbol of punishment for her crime. It had now only been a month since that evening, when Elena was branded with such a cruel letter A of adultery. Though, she felt the pang of the many nights that she had spent with _him_. The most powerful man in the world. Elena knew it was wrong, she knew instantly, the first minute-hour-evening that they had spent together. Against her husband, her partner... Tseng. Elena's caramel eyes fell to her lap, where a rosary sat clenched in her pail fist, praying God bid her mercy this morning before her daily public humiliation. However, no such mercy ever came. The light grey and white heavy cotton fabric snagged through her tender skin of daily labour. Her blond hair was always covered as of now, hidden underneath a white cotton bonnet, never revealing the tiniest strand. Elena thought perhaps the cap would somewhat hide her identity from the world and protect her to an extent, even though no one else dared. Her husband knew of her wrongful doing. Yes, he knew very well of what she had done, forcing the words from her mouth himself. At his first glance of the crimed letter upon her breast, his expression settled into hatred and malice toward her every move and action. At second glance, that malice changed to ignorance.

Relieving Elena by a bit of the fact that Tseng was no longer giving piercing glares of malice from his slate grey eyes in her direction. However, it only became worse. At the third glance, he left Midgar. Left Elena to her wronging and never returned. She was no more than a simple peasant girl to begin with, whereas Tseng and _he_were born into much higher status. Daily, Elena was persistent only in her mind to remove the embroidered letter from her breast, that was placed there by the very same man of whom she had shared those many nights with. The grief of that knowledge alone sent constant pangs through her heart, uncountable, even if attempted. One would say this young woman was served right to walk the streets, wearing the scarlet letter as her punishment, and be known for her crime publicly, by standing for three hours daily atop a threshold in the central square. Elena set the precious rosary on her small wooden nightstand, before lifting her skirts above her ankle and strode out of her tiny home meant for a solitary person, with her head held high even though the crimson radiance of the scarlet letter branded itself into her soul. She swallowed hard multiple times, passing through the daily crowd of onlookers and those ignorant to her existence. She often wondered how many other women that gave her the cold shoulder, how many of them suffered the same fate yet mocked her by not accepting the punishment of adultery.

The platform now being within her view, Elena silently took a deep breath, causing the pain in her heart to rise like that of the letter but did not subside when the crimson A on her breast rest into place. The old framework of the platform threatened to rot beneath her feet, as if to create a sudden void, dragging her to the pits of hell with her guilt. The stairs creaked with an angry age under her feet, as she ascended up the platform. Elena let her delicate hands fold infront of her skirt, as one would after an ending recession. Her caramel eyes scanned the crowd subconsciously, thus falling on _his_ form. _He _was there, always watching her somehow, always keeping his piercing stare on her. Though, sometimes she thought, so concentrated on her with deep sapphire eyes, would falter and fall upon the scarlet letter on her breast. That cursed letter _he _himself had bestowed her with. He was with her so many nights such as that one! Couldn't he be shamed as well?! Couldn't he have the convenience to even admit that he was the one to have made love with her so many a night before now?! That question along with so many others, irked Elena with somewhat of a grudge toward the man that showed no shame, that never showed proof of ever being her lover for so many nights! Was it only _she_that need be sworn to scrutiny and need be publicly humiliated daily because of this damned A of her adultery! Where she was expecting no child as of yet, despite the many nights they shared during Tseng's absence.

Elena's gaze in his direction narrowed, caramel eyes burning with invisible black flames, as he made his way along the outskirt of the crowds with his two fellow magistrates. A red haired tall, blue eyed male of a slim frame, followed by an even taller male with a large build, slightly dark skin and a stoic demeanour. She had met them times before, though the three of them now showed no sign of ever having an acquaintance with her. She wanted to point a finger in his direction and yell out that he too should be shamed, for this crime was not done alone! And she almost did, but before she could do so, he glanced her way from the corner of his eye, that deep sapphire catching with caramel for a second. A small fraction of a hidden truth, making it be known to her in secrecy. Telling Elena through that small glance, he felt the guilt as much as she, and it had only brought him that much more guilt to place the crimson burning letter upon her breast, as it was custom and not out of personal pleasure to humiliate her. Elena stepped away from the edge of the platform, only just noticing that she had moved forward unconsciously. She continued to follow his passing movements with caramel eyes, her lips slightly agape, wanting to speak his name and answer his apology for this humiliation. Again, Elena stepped forward to the edge of the platform, watching as _he_ tugged on the brim of his hat to hide his face from her view. Though, the immaculate white of his clothing and hat made him only that much more visible and giving Elena the chance to pinpoint him any, and every day.

"Dost thou wish me to live such an unhappy life without thee...only plagued by this emblem upon my breast, thou hath branded me with, yet not suffer as I?!" Elena had asked in an angered and hurt tone, the night she learned of his plans and received the scarlet letter. In his private quarters, they had shared another blissful night in eachother's company. Before getting dressed furiously and upset. He climbed out of bed, wearing his slacks, in a single fluid motion to cup her jaw in both his palms and place the gentlest of kisses upon her lips. His sapphire eyes looking deep into the depths of her caramel, swirled orbs.

Remember this, art thou not my wife, yet may never be. Thou dost not forget our nights together, I shall never forget thine beauty in candlelight." The burn of her hand colliding with his skin on impulse was followed by pain, seconds later that spread quickly like a hungry flame.

"Thy cruelty burns hotter than white iron! Dost thou share not the same fate as I in public, would thee not suffer the remembrance of my pain through thy marking of an invisible burn!" Elena wiped the tears from her eyes then left quickly enough, as he nursed his burning skin from her forceful impact. Setting himself on the edge of his bed, thinking of the blond and of his decision. Had he not met her, he wouldn't have become curious. Had he not lusted for her, he wouldn't have been forced to make the ever so dramatic decision that placed them in these awkward roles. Again, passing her while she stood on the platform, brought the burn of her pain to meet his cheek, when their eyes met for that second. As if it were pressed into his skin with white hot iron, to always remind him of that guilt the scarlet letter brought to her. And it felt as if that very same letter was branded into him by her palm of anger, that he wouldn't dare share the same fate as she in public. Rufus Shin-Ra glanced at the palm of his hand, thus spotting an optical illusion of the letter _A_, pressed into his palm in white, like a scar. Before closing his hand and continued walking with Reno and Rude. As if nothing ever happened, amidst the continued burning of Elena's brand that she had forced him to share in secret to his grave.

_-Fin-_


End file.
